Bolesworth Castle
Encyclopedia
Bolesworth Castle is a country house 2 miles (3 km) south of the village of Tattenhall
, Cheshire
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building.
businessman, to a design by William Cole in 1829, on the site of an older house dating from 1750. In 1856 it was bought by Robert Barbour, a Scottish businessman who founded a cotton
textile
business in Manchester
. It has remained in the Barbour family since. In 1920–23 the castle was partly remodelled by Clough Williams-Ellis
.
The house is built in ashlar
sandstone
and is castellated. It is mainly in two storeys with wide canted
bays
in the centre and on the right, and a wide round bay on the left. At the centre, and recessed, is a three-story tower with turrets
.
Around the house and in the grounds are a number of structures which are listed Grade II. These are the wall and steps of the upper and middle terraces, the wall of the lower terrace, a temple with a statue of Diana
, the park gates, gate piers and wing walls on the north drive, gate piers on the drive from Chowley Lodge, an open shelter, a bridge over the fishpool, and a boat house.
. He developed the estate as a centre for small businesses, restoring redundant buildings and modernising its 16 farms, thereby supporting some 800 jobs. The house contains Barbour's collection of modern art
. Anthony Barbour died in 2007. The estate is now owned by his wife, Diana. The gardens are open to visitors by appointment in April, May and October.
Tattenhall
Tattenhall is a village and civil parish, 8 miles south-east of Chester, in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. At the 2001 Census, the population was recorded as 1,986.-History:...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building.
History
Bolesworth Castle was built for George Walmesley, a ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
businessman, to a design by William Cole in 1829, on the site of an older house dating from 1750. In 1856 it was bought by Robert Barbour, a Scottish businessman who founded a cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
business in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. It has remained in the Barbour family since. In 1920–23 the castle was partly remodelled by Clough Williams-Ellis
Clough Williams-Ellis
Sir Bertram Clough Williams-Ellis, CBE, MC was an English-born Welsh architect known chiefly as creator of the Italianate village of Portmeirion in North Wales.-Origins, education and early career:...
.
Architecture
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
and is castellated. It is mainly in two storeys with wide canted
Cant (architecture)
Cant is the architectural term describing part, or segment, of a facade which is at an angle to another part of the same facade. The angle breaking the facade is less than a right angle thus enabling a canted facade to be viewed as, and remain, one composition.Canted facades are a typical of, but...
bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
in the centre and on the right, and a wide round bay on the left. At the centre, and recessed, is a three-story tower with turrets
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
.
Around the house and in the grounds are a number of structures which are listed Grade II. These are the wall and steps of the upper and middle terraces, the wall of the lower terrace, a temple with a statue of Diana
Diana (mythology)
In Roman mythology, Diana was the goddess of the hunt and moon and birthing, being associated with wild animals and woodland, and having the power to talk to and control animals. She was equated with the Greek goddess Artemis, though she had an independent origin in Italy...
, the park gates, gate piers and wing walls on the north drive, gate piers on the drive from Chowley Lodge, an open shelter, a bridge over the fishpool, and a boat house.
Present day
The house and estate of 6000 acres (24.3 km²) were inherited in 1989 by Anthony Barbour, making him one of the largest landowners in CheshireCheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. He developed the estate as a centre for small businesses, restoring redundant buildings and modernising its 16 farms, thereby supporting some 800 jobs. The house contains Barbour's collection of modern art
Modern art
Modern art includes artistic works produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the style and philosophy of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of...
. Anthony Barbour died in 2007. The estate is now owned by his wife, Diana. The gardens are open to visitors by appointment in April, May and October.